Abstract: A down-hole signal transmitter for a mud pulse telemetry system comprises a flow constrictor defining a throttle orifice for the mud flow, a throttling member displaceable to vary the throughflow cross-section of the throttle orifice, and a pump for displacing the throttling member against the mud flow in order to modulate the mud flow. The displacement of the throttling member is controlled by a hydraulic amplifier, comprising a main pressure relief valve and a subsidiary control valve, and a solenoid to which the output signal of a measuring instrument is supplied. When the main valve is close, the pump displaces a ram, coupled to the throttling member, upwardly.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for measuring the flow velocity of drilling mud returning from the annulus of a borehole. At least two parametric acoustic pulse transducers are longitudinally disposed with respect to a conduit with a pair of acoustic receivers positioned therebetween. The transducers each generate strong, focused acoustic waves comprised of combined dual frequencies directed at the center of the conduit area in which fluid flow is to be measured. The transducers are actuated alternately and produce time variant signals permitting measurement of fluid flow by employing the Doppler effect on the parametric secondary acoustic pulses. The utilization of combined dual frequency acoustic transducers provides a primary signal having sufficient strength to produce a non-linear response in the liquid and produce secondary, low frequency wave propagation directly from within the mud itself. The low frequency waves enhance wave propagation through gas cut muds and enhance signal recognition in the receivers.

Abstract: A drilling mud flow rate detector, including a sub adapted for being positioned in the drill string, having a sonic signal generator located near the center of the sub in both the incoming mud flow path and the return mud flow path. A set of sonic signal receivers is located at both ends of the sub in both the mud input flow path and the mud return flow path and corresponding sets of sonic signal transmitters are located near the center of the sub. The distance between the transmitting transducers at the center of the sub and the receiving transducers located at each end of the sub are equal so that under a condition of no mud flow, the sonic signals arrive at each end of the sub simultaneously. During mud flow, "doppler effect" will produce phase shifts in the sonic signals which are proportional to the direction and the rate of mud flow. Signals received by the receiving transducers are processed to produce an input mud flow rate signal and an output mud flow rate signal which are then compared.

Abstract: A device for determining the stuck point of a drill pipe in a borehole consisting of two relatively movable sections, anchoring means for each section, a sensing means for detecting relative movement of the two sections and producing an inductance representative of the movement. The inductance is transformed into a frequency modulated signal which is transmitted to the surface and converted from a non-linear direct current voltage representation of relative movement to a linear direct current voltage.

Abstract: When surveying a borehole using an instrument responsive to the earth's magnetic field, a length of non-magnetic drill collar is necessary to house means for measuring the magnetic field in the borehole perpendicular to the direction of the borehole axis. The instrument determines the inclination angle and the highside angle from the gravitation measurements, with these measurements and the magnetic measurements, the azimuth angle is determined. Using the method of this invention a minimum length of non-magnetic material necessary for an accurate measurement may be calculated and used.

Abstract: A borehole is surveyed by positioning at the mouth of the borehole a survey instrument having a casing and a three-axis rate gyroscope unit mounted within the casing, and sensing at least two components of gravity in at least two mutually transverse directions with respect to the survey instrument by means of a gravity sensor unit. The survey instrument is then moved along the borehole with the start and finish of the run being at the mouth of the borehole or at some known reference along the path of the borehole. During the run the rates of rotation about three non-coplanar axes are sensed at a series of locations along the length of the borehole by means of the rate gyroscope unit.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for mechanically and metallurgically holding a cutter in a drill bit pocket. The method includes using powder metallurgy techniques in the formation of a drill bit member having a plurality of pockets configured to inhibit displacement of cutters out of the pockets in a direction transverse to the drill bit working surface. The method further includes the steps of metallurgically bonding and mechanically engaging the cutter with the cutter pocket. The drill bit manufactured in accordance with the methods of the present invention include a carbide menstrum drill bit head having a working surface with a plurality of fluid courses and nozzles thereon in adjacent relationship with a plurality of cutter blade bands comprising a series of cutter pockets having cutters disposed therein in a fashion parallel with the working surface.

Abstract: A method for preventing fouling of equipment used in hydrocarbon processing is provided comprising adding to said hydrocarbon a polyalkyleneoxy sulfoxy salt represented by the formula: ##STR1## wherein R is a linear alkyl radical having from about 6 to 15 carbon atoms or an alkyl phenyl radical wherein the alkyl group contains from about 8 to 10 carbon atoms, R.sub.1 is H or CH.sub.3, n is a number from 3 to 8, x is 3 or 4 and M.sup.+ is an ammonium or an alkali metal cation.An antifouling formulation is also provided which comprises an alcohol-water dispersion of the above antifouling agent and a surfactant comprising a fatty acid dialkanol amide.

Abstract: Apparatus for positioning a first part with respect to a second part is characterized by a cylindrical guide respectively attachable to each part, a helical surface being disposed on each guide, each helical surface including a right hand half and a left hand half. A piston-cylinder is disposed on the second part, the piston being extendable to engage the guide on the first part to axially align the guides. After alignment, the piston is retractable to bring the helical surfaces into contact to generate a torque and align the parts. In another embodiment, the guide for the second part is formed on the piston while the guide on the first part has an axial alignment member projecting therefrom to engage the guide on the second part to align the guides. Once aligned, the helical surfaces contact each other with the piston extended. The contact between the helical surfaces causes the rotational alignment of the second part with respect to the first part.

Abstract: Additives useful in producing foundry mold and core washes comprise either: a mixture of 66.75% to 80.05% of an organophilic clay and 19.95% to 33.25% of an alcohol soluble, hexane insoluble thermoplastic resin skin-forming agent; or 7.15% to 15.25% of an organophilic clay, 2.85% to 4.75% of the skin forming agent, and 80% to 90% of a refractory material having a particle size fo 200 mesh or finer.

Abstract: The system consists of means for running a logging instrument and a long semi-rigid extension on a logging cable through open-ended drill pipe. A head on the upper end of the extension conforms sufficiently close to the inside diameter of the drill pipe that pump pressure down the drill pipe develops thrust across the head to push the extension and logging instrument down the well bore. A catcher sub at the lower end of the drill pipe prevents the extension from being pumped out the bottom of the drill pipe. As the extension and logging instrument are pulled back into the drill pipe by the logging cable, well bore measurements are made and recorded over the interval below the bottom of the drill pipe. The extension consists of a number of sections that are joined together on top of the instrument as the instrument is lowered into the drill pipe on the logging cable, the extension sections each having a slot along their entire length in order that the extension will fit around the logging cable.

Abstract: A liquid fuel dispensing system having a plurality of dispensing pumps each generating electric pulses according to the volume of fuel dispensed and a central control where payment is made. A data transmission link couples each pump to the central control and each pump has a pulse store which accumulates pulses generated by the pump during a dispensing operation. A sampling mechanism at the central control samples the outputs from the pulse stores which are updated at each sampling. First and second storage elements are provided to store information at the central control relating to previous pump transaction whereby such pump can be cleared for use by second customer before first customer has paid.

Abstract: The system consists of means for running a logging instrument connected to a long rigid extension on a logging cable through open-ended drill pipe. The extension consists of a number of sections of tubing that are joined together on top of the instrument as the instrument is lowered into the drill pipe prior to the logging cable being connected to the well logging instrument. As soon as the last section of the tubing has been added, the well logging cable, having an electrical probe member attached to its lower end and having weighting means to cause the probe to lower itself through the tubing, is fed down through the tubing and into a circulation and electrical connection sub connected to the well logging instrument itself.

Abstract: A conventional logging instrument is adapted to traverse a slanted or deviated earth borehole on the end of a conventional logging cable. A heavy, streamlined sinker bar is adapted to be fitted over the cable and to slide freely thereon. Upper and lower stop clamps, separated by approximately 100 feet of cable, are provided on the cable with the lower stop clamp being located approximately 200 feet above the logging instrument. The sinker bar is adapted to slide freely between the upper and lower stop clamps. Since it is unlikely that the logging tool and the sinker bar will become stuck at the same time in a highly deviated borehole, one of two things can happen. If the sinker bar becomes stuck, the cable passes freely through the center of the sinker bar without impeding the logging tool until the upper clamp reaches the limit of its travel. If at that point the logging instrument is descending freely, it can dislodge the sinker bar with a gravitational force.

Abstract: A borehole instrument having four arm pad members utilizes four independent bow springs, each of the bow springs being anchored to the instrument at one of their ends and being individually slidably mounted at their other ends to the instrument. A push-pull rod activated by a solenoid within the instrument causes each of the slidable collars connected to the bow springs, respectively, to move down and thus close the instrument for easy passage through the borehole when not logging. When the push-pull rod is pulled up, each of the bow springs acts independently to cause the individual pads to make contact with the borehole wall. In an alternative embodiment, spring-driven pad linkage assemblies are likewise closed by pushing on the push-pull rod and are allowed to open and move out against the borehole wall when the rod is pulled up by action of the solenoid.

Abstract: A self-contained, battery powered well logging instrument is pumped down the interior of a drill pipe string having a catcher sub at its lower end. When the logging instrument latches into the catcher sub, the pumped fluid circulation is blocked, after which increased pump pressure switches a valve assembly to recreate circulation and energize the logging instrument to the standby position. An accelerometer in the logging instrument detects the upward movement of the instrument and switches the circuitry from standby to the record mode. The output from a clock controlled by the downhole accelerometer is recorded along with the logging information and is synchronized with pipe footage measurements and with a similar such accelerometer and clock at the earth's surface which are responsive to the movement of the pipe string at the earth's surface. The recorded logging samples are thus related to true depth by correlating with the data simultaneously recorded at the earth's surface.

Abstract: Circuitry is provided for establishing the points in time at which radiation is detected following each neutron burst in pulsed neutron logging. Means are provided to generate a signal indicative of the arithmetic mean to then compute the macroscopic thermal neutron capture cross section of the formation of interest surrounding the borehole. In one embodiment, an indeterminate number of gates provides a means of establishing the point in time of each pulse indicative of detected radiation. In another embodiment, only a predetermined number of such gates are used. In yet another embodiment, a weighting factor is applied to pulses occurring either before or after the arithmetic mean such that the number of pulses before the arithmetic mean are a multiple of the number occurring after such time.

Abstract: A self-contained, battery powered well logging instrument is pumped down the interior of a drill pipe string having a catcher sub at its lower end. When the logging instrument latches into the catcher sub, the pumped fluid circulation is blocked, after which increased pump pressure switches a valve assembly to recreate circulation and energize the logging instrument to the standby position. An accelerometer in the logging instrument detects the upward movement of the instrument and switches the circuitry from standby to the record mode. The output from a clock controlled by the downhole accelerometer is recorded along with the logging information and is synchronized with pipe footage measurements and with a similar such accelerometer and clock at the earth's surface which are responsive to the movement of the pipe string at the earth's surface. The recorded logging samples are thus related to true depth by correlating with the data simultaneously recorded at the earth's surface.

Abstract: Neutron generator in well logging instrument is pulsed 100 times having a time between pulses of 1400 microseconds. This is followed by an off period of four cycles wherein 2800 microseconds is allowed for capture radiation to decay to an insignificant level and the remaining 2800 microseconds is used to measure background radiation. This results in the neutron source being disabled four pulses after every hundred pulses of operation, or approximately a 4% loss of neutron output. A first detector gate is open from 400 to 680 microseconds and a second detector gate is open from 700 to 980 microseconds. During the 100 cycles, each of the gates is thus open for 280 microseconds times 100 for a total of 28,000 microseconds. By scaling the gate count rate by a factor of 10, the background is subtracted directly.

Abstract: An elongated borehole logging instrument includes a permanent magnet linear reciprocating motor. The motor powers a sliding sleeve which has attached to its outer perimeter a series of reversible vanes. The vanes engage the mud cake or the borehole wall and thus generate a force opposite to the direction of the vane slant. The motor has a stationary electromagnetic field comprised of a plurality of coils connected to the control electronics. The floating outer sleeve has permanent magnets all oriented in the same direction. As the coils are pulsed alternatingly, the magnets are either repulsed or attracted to thus generate a reciprocating motion which transferred to the vanes moves the tool up or down, depending upon the position of the reversing actuator.